Honorable Mentions

ENTRY: HYPATIA
NAME: Carol Urico

As a result of reading Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" some years ago,
I became aware of a woman who was the last scientist to work
in the Great Library of Alexandria. Her name was Hypatia; and
it is her name I wish to suggest for the AXAF. Choosing this
name would, in my view, be most appropriate as a symbolism for
the quest for knowledge that is the goal of the AXAF. This
woman was not only an astronomer, she was a mathematician and
a philosopher. Her accomplishments were truly extraordinary given
the status of women in the 4th Century. Her story should stand
as an inspiration for young girls and women interested in the
science of the 21st Century. To have the AXAF named after
this exceptional historical figure would emphasize the need to
approach the mysteries of the Universe through the many diverse
fields of study within the scientific community. The information
gathered by this Observatory from the darkest regions of the
Universe will continue to provide the "light of knowledge" we
humans desire so much. What a magnificent extension of the work
of Hypatia and the ideal that was the Alexandrian Library!